Moving devices which move a subject from one container to another container are required in various technical fields. An example of a moving device is a device including a first container that stores a large number of subjects of movement such as small parts, organic or inorganic crushed pieces or particles, and cells and a second container that receives the subjects of movement, wherein the device extracts some of the subjects of movement from the first container and moves the subjects of movement to the second container.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2009-34013 discloses a technique in which a cellular aggregate is assumed as a subject of movement and in which the cellular aggregate is suctioned from a dispensing well using a suction tip (a micropipette) and discharged to a cell petri dish. The cellular aggregate is held in a liquid and, during the suction, a distal end opening of the suction tip is immersed in the liquid. Therefore, in some cases, the suction tip may have to be discarded after each suction and discharge.
There are demands for highly automating a series of operations including suction and discharge described above in a movement operation of a cellular aggregate. However, as things stand, such a movement operation is either entirely performed manually or performed using a simple moving device only equipped with a mechanism for generating a suction force and a mechanism for moving a suction tip. Therefore, operational efficiency of the movement operation cannot be described as being favorable.